Chocolate Blackout Cake

Serves: 2

Lilian Bahringer

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

48

Spice

45

Sweetness

45

Sourness

39

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.3

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Whole Milk

2 cups

Sugar

2 tbsps

Cornstarch

1 large

Egg

1 tsp

Salt

1.5 tsps

Baking Powder

1 tsp

Baking Soda

1 cup

Sour Cream

Directions:

1

Make the filling: Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat

2

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and egg in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth

3

Gradually whisk half of the hot milk into the sugar mixture, then return to the pan with the remaining milk

4

Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes

5

Transfer to a bowl (strain through a fine-mesh sieve if it looks lumpy), then stir in the chocolate until melted

6

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour

7

Meanwhile, make the ganache: Put the chocolate and salt in a large heatproof bowl

8

Bring 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat; pour over the chocolate and let sit 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth

9

Pour 3/4 cup of the ganache into a liquid measuring cup and set aside at room temperature

10

Refrigerate the remaining ganache in the bowl until thick but not set, about 1 hour

11

Assemble the cake: Put 1 cake layer on a platter; spread the filling on top, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge

12

Top with the second cake layer and press down gently

13

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons heavy cream to the chilled ganache and beat with a mixer on medium speed until just fluffy, about 1 minute (do not overbeat)

14

Frost the whole cake with the whipped ganache

15

Pour the room-temperature ganache on top, letting it drip down the sides

16

Let set before slicing, about 30 minutes

17

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

18

Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper

19

Whisk the cocoa powder and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside

20

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined

21

Add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute

22

Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula

23

(The batter will be thin

24

) Divide the batter between the prepared pans and tap the pans against the counter to help the batter settle

25

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes

26

Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely

27

Remove the parchment

28

Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired